


Things That We Can't Say Tomorrow Day

by Gleaming_Spires (cuppaktea)



Category: History Boys (2006), History Boys - All Media Types, History Boys - Bennett
Genre: Dakin is a self absorbed wally, Definitely not a songfic, Irwin needs more self esteem, Lockdown Fic, M/M, lockdown fic has no end no context and no plot but at least it's something to do, things that might have been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuppaktea/pseuds/Gleaming_Spires
Summary: “It’s Dakin”“Dakin – It’s three o’clock in the morning.”“Is it? That’s interesting” He sighs, pressing his face once again to the cool plaster.
Relationships: Stuart Dakin/Tom Irwin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Things That We Can't Say Tomorrow Day

**Author's Note:**

> The title (and inspiration for this) is from 'Do I Wanna Know' by the Arctic Monkeys, which to me has always been the song for this pairing - like I am incapable of listening to it without picturing them (the lyrics are very Dakin), however, it is not a songfic and this is the hill I will die on. 
> 
> Unedited, unbeta'd, etc, I'm just happy to be writing.
> 
> If you liked it let me know, if you hated it let me know (but be kind, I'm delicate). Hope you're all staying safe and entertained.

The ringing seems to go on forever to Dakin. If he were less pissed he would hang up, but his position on the rickety hall chair is comfortable and he almost falls asleep with his head leaning against the wall.

“Brr brr” He mutters to himself in time with the phone

“Hello?”

He is startled into alertness by the unexpected voice, interrupting the hypnotic monotony of the ringing.

“It’s Dakin” He says, though why he is introducing himself like a schoolboy he isn’t quite sure. To save confusion he tells himself, although he knows this is a half-truth at best.

“Dakin – wh-?” The confusion is banished with audible resolve. “It’s three o’clock in the morning.” He is stern now - it's soothing in a nostalgic sort of way. 

“Is it? That’s interesting” He sighs, pressing his face once again to the cool plaster.

“Is this important? Are you alright?” The concern colouring the edge of his voice is a welcome comfort. “Dakin?”

He considers. “Yes, to both of those questions. I was thinking about you.”

“Oh, I see.” He sounds flustered.

Dakin imagines him fiddling in that nervous self-conscious way of his. He wonders if he is without his glasses, if he just stumbled out of bed to the phone. His stomach twists at the thought of the well-remembered face laid bare.

“Couldn’t it wait until morning?”

“No” He declares, imperiously.

“Right, um, ok go on then. What can I do for you?”

“Do you ever think about me?”

“...Not really”

“Liar.”

“You said it was important”

“It is. I’ve just come home from the pub. Alone.” He lets an accusatory tone creep into his voice. “Because something reminded me of you today, and the more I drank the more space in my head you took up, and no one measured up so I didn't bring anyone back with me, and now I can’t sleep because I wanted to talk to you so badly it’s keeping me awake. I ought to charge you rent” He grumbles.

“It’s not my fault nothing happened”

“There you go again. Liar.”

“Dakin, I have work in the morning. I have to get up in three hours” He sounds sad, defeated.

Regretting the harsh line he’s taking, Dakin decides to change the subject, to cheer him up. "You’d fit right in here, you know? Every tutor under the age of seventy has shagged at least one student, and that’s just this year”

“I’ve never shagged a student - not as a teacher, anyway.”

Dakin chuckles. “More’s the pity”

“You didn’t really want to. And that’s ok”

“No, it was you who didn’t”

“Now who’s the liar?”

“Ok, fine, I chickened out. But I did want to – I was scared; I’m a big boy now and I know what I want” He growls.

He thinks it sounds sexy but Irwin laughs, so he may have misjudged it.

“You are so going to regret this conversation in the morning”

“No, I’ve thought it all through”

“How did you get my number?”

“I looked you up in the phonebook. You were actually in that one...” He pauses, thinking how to phrase what he wants to say. “You don’t have to lie, you know. You’re interesting enough”

“I’m interesting because you don’t know when I am lying” Dakin can hear the smile creeping into his voice.

“Hmmm possibly”

“Other than calling me a liar, is there anything else you particularly wanted to say before I go back to bed?

“How’s the leg?”

“Fine, thank you”

“You don’t fool me, you know. Not anymore.” He waggles his finger, forgetting that Irwin can’t see him.

“I’m sorry to hear it. Goodnight, Dakin”

“Wait, don’t go! I want to talk to you”

“If it’s important, call me back when you’re sober” He sounds almost fond, but there's no goodbye before the line goes dead.

Dakin sighs his own sleepy goodbye into the receiver before hanging up.

He doesn’t regret it come the morning, as Irwin predicted he would, but he doesn’t consider phoning back and life moves on much as he’d hoped it would. He has said what he wanted to say and he feels better for it.

It comes as a shock when, the next September, he sees Irwin on the television in the common room. He had kept that one quiet during their conversation, but then the only question Dakin had asked about Irwin himself had been about his leg, and he had lied about that anyway.

He rings, but Irwin is no longer there, of course, and he’s no longer in the book either, the slippery fuck.

Dakin has to see the funny side, in spite of his disappointment, and laughs aloud to himself before the present calls and he gets back to his life.


End file.
